The Black Diamond at Prickly Pine Manor
by NWCobalt
Summary: Nice Halloween adventure with the Jelly Beans and others in a haunted house.


After their Halloween antics with ole Lumpy, the jelly cabin trio found themselves unceremoniously dumped in the town of Prickly Pines.

Lazlo: (yelling to Lumpus as he drove off) Thank you scoutmaster Lumpus. We should have much more success trick o treating here.

Raj: Yes that is quite so but the question now is where do we begin Lazlo?

Clam: Spooky big house…Spooky big house!

Both Raj and Lazlo looked up to the large and menacingly dark house on top of the highest hill on the outskirts of town. The flashes of lightning illuminating the structure seeming to foreshadow nothing but bad things could come from visiting such a place.

Lazlo: Wow…that is one huge house up there. Good choice Clam, there should be loads of candy up there just waiting for us. I can almost feel the sugar coursing through me.

Clam: Yea…sugar rush.

Raj: Umm…guys…doesn't that house not strike you with a sense of fear and dread cause let me tell you it sure is feeling me with such feelings. Besides I think I've heard of this place and it's not good.

Lazlo: Of course it's scary looking Raj. Its Halloween…the house is supposed to be scary looking. Boy did they do a great job with this one.

Raj: Yes well if you ask me, they did too good a job on it.

Lazlo: Well let's get up there before all the candy is gone.

The three ended up at the door of the dark mansion in a short amount of time. After knocking on the door three or so times and getting no response, they found the door to be unlocked and, much to the dismay of Raj, entered the dark foyer with a set of stairs leading up to its second floor.

Lazlo: Wow…this place seems even bigger from inside.

Raj: (trembling) I'm…starting to wander if…anybody lives here.

Clam: Deserted.

Lazlo: Might be unoccupied. Then again, it could be that these cobwebs and old, dilapidated conditions are just part of the décor.

Raj: Wow Lazlo! Dilapidated…that's a mighty big word. I must say your vocabulary is getting advanced.

Lazlo: Thanks Raj. I try to… (he was interrupted by what he and his two friends thought to be other people moving about in the kitchen)

Raj: What…was that?

Lazlo: (almost whispering) Sounds like we're not as alone as we first thought.

The trio made there way into the rather large kitchen. Just as they came to the center island, they were greeted by four shadowy figures with lamps. These four seemed just as surprised by jelly cabins presence as the jellies were of them and all seven started screaming in fear and running around the kitchen until they finally figured out who it was they had encountered.

Lazlo: (breathing heavily from the screaming) Edward? Samson? Dave and Ping Pong?.. What are you guys doing here.

Edward: (very annoyed) I could ask you three cretins the same thing. Geez Lazlo…What are you trying to do…give me an early heart attack?

Dave: If you must know, we have come here seeking treasure.

Ping Pong: Yes apparently there is a rare and valuable gem in this mansion.

Samson: And with all the money from my share I can get me a lifetime supply of health buddies. I'll never have to worry bout running out.

Edward: Oh way to go big mouths…Why don't you go on and tell him that it's in the upstairs bedroom while your at it. (thinks about what he just says and begins banging head on center island countertop) Oh I am so stupid…look what you idiots made me do.

Lazlo: Gee Edward…isn't taking the gem from this house stealing?

Edward: Oh quit your worrying monkey boy. That gem has no owner. In fact, according to legend, the gem can only be touched by mortal hands on Halloween night. Once touched by someone before the stroke of midnight, it becomes his/hers and can be done with whatever the new owner wishes to do with it.

Lazlo: Wow…sounds awesome. I didn't think you believed in such tales though Edward.

Edward: Yea…well…for such a prize I'm willing to give it a shot.

Raj: Ok…Ok…this is all well and good but what kind of gem are we talking about exactly?

Dave: It is large, round cut black diamond. There have been many tales about it. Some say it even has demonic powers.

Without warning, Raj began to run around screaming in terror and then hiding under the big dining table in the next room.

Lazlo: Raj…What's wrong buddy?

Raj: I…just remembered the tales I've heard about this house and…that horrible diamond that it holds. We mustn't go near that cursed thing, it will be our downfall…downfall (sobbing as he says this)

Edward: What are you blabbering about you pitiful pachyderm?

Raj: They say that the black diamond is a vessel for souls whose deaths' that it causes.

Ping Pong: It causes? How can a gemstone cause someone's death Raj?

Raj: I'm…not sure but I hear that those who tried to possess the diamond ended up dying in horrible freak accidents. It's been said that as early as last Halloween, someone went into this house to retrieve the diamond. He succeeded only to be crushed by a jet engine falling from an airliner in the sky. What's even stranger is the fact that the diamond itself disappeared. It probably returned here and it's just waiting for someone else foolish enough to take it ahhh we have to leave now.

Edward: Ok now you're just being ridiculous. I mean come on…a diamond, a mere gemstone causing fatal accidents then magically returning to the place it came from.

Samson: Well how is that anymore ridiculous than the notion of a diamond that can't be touched accept on Halloween night?

Edward: When I want your input guinea pig I'll ask for it. Now if that diamond truly exists, I am gonna get it and we'll all be rich for it. That is if you people are still with me.

Lazlo: Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to see if the diamond really existed. I see no harm in that. What's the worse that could..? (Before he could finish his question, a large axe being held by a nearby suit of armor fell behind him. If not for his quick reflexes in curling up his tail, it would surely have been lost to the blade.) Well…that can't be too good a sign…oh well lets get upstairs and see what we can find.

Raj: (trembling violently) Uhh…Lazlo…you sure are taking nearly having your tail chopped off very lightly. I think that's more than enough of a warning sign for me. Let's get out of this place.

Unfortunately for Raj, the others had already started their move upstairs and, not wanting to be left alone anywhere in the house, he reluctantly followed. As the party of seven entered the bedroom upstairs, one more warning would be given. Hopefully these seven would be lucky enough to heed it.

Edward: Yes…we made it up here and look…there it is…it's more gorgeous than I could ever had imagined. Let's get it guys.

Just as they moved forward into the center of the room a gust of wind forced its way through the window and blew Dave and Ping Pong onto their backs just in time to look up and see the room's old chandelier falling toward their heads. The two brothers screamed in terror and shut there eyes anticipating the crushing end of their lives when they were pulled away in time by an alert Raj and Clam.

Ping Pong: Thanks guys.

Dave: Yea…it sure looked like curtains for us for a minute there.

Raj: Now are you convinced that we should get the heck out of this evil manor.

Edward: Ah no…I'm not getting this far and coming away empty-handed. I am getting this here diamond and that's that. (he grabbed the dull, black, yet somewhat shiny gem from the cushion it lay on beside and old king-sized bed and as he did, lightning illuminated the room and the close thunder shook the place, sending all the others running around the room in terror and even making Edward very nervous.)

Edward: Ok…I admit that was a little bit creepy.

The door behind them then unexpectedly slammed shut, trapping them in the bedroom.

Edward: Ok…now it's getting very creepy…let's get out of this place now that I've gotten what I came for.

Samson: But how will we get out of here. The door is locked tight and the only other way down is that dumbwaiter over there.

Dave: Well I guess that'll be our ride down then.

Raj: Are you all insane. First off Edward you need to toss away that cursed diamond and second, who knows if that dumbwaiter can even support all our collective weight.

Edward: First off…no I'm not just tossing this diamond away and second, would you rather stay in here all night .

Raj: Hey…wait a minute…that's it. There's still time. Edward if you toss aside the gem before the stroke of midnight then it can't fix its curse upon you and we'll all be safe. Hurry Edward, midnight is just two minutes away.

Edward: For the very last time Raj I am not throwing away this diamond. What I will do is get in this dumbwaiter and… (just as he stepped in, the whole thing fell apart and he managed to grab hold of the ledge with one hand while clinging to the diamond in the other)

Lazlo: Edward…you have to let go of the diamond if we are to get you up.

Edward: Just pull me up you idiots. There are six of you, you should be able to handle my weight and the diamonds. Besides, a two-story fall is not often fatal in most circumstances.

Dave: Well that's true but that's considering falling on a flat surface, not one littered with splintered old wood and… (he sniffs the air)…make that splintered old wood that is burning.

Unfortunately for the platypus, his lamp had ignited the woodpile two floors beneath him and was starting to rage out of control.

Raj: Oh great now we're all gonna die here because Edward and that cursed stone. I wander if we'll suffocate from smoke inhalation or burn alive…I sure hope it is the first.

Ping Pong: It's not over yet my friends. The clock has yet to strike midnight.

Lazlo: Ping is right Edward, you must release it now before it's too late.

Edward: If you think I'm gonna…

All six in unison: Just Release The Dang Gem Already!!!

Edward: Oh for heaven's sake alright but this better save our lives or so help me if any of you mange to live I will haunt you for all eternity. (He drops the diamond toward the raging inferno below and the others help him into the room. Just as his feet touched the ground, clock struck twelve and the doors to the bedroom opened)

Raj: I don't believe it. It worked, we have avoided the black diamond's vicious curse.

Clam: Victory!

Samson: Let's really celebrate that later guys. In the meantime we Still Have To Get Out Of Here!!!

Lazlo: Samson's right…let's motor.

The group can now consider themselves the lucky seven indeed since they first escaped the curse of the black diamond as well as escape the fiery demise of the house that was the spooky home to the accursed gemstone. All ended well for what would most certainly be the most unforgettable Halloween ever for these friends. As for the black diamond itself well that is probably a story that has not ended yet as efforts to locate the legendary gem in the charred rubble failed. What was recovered amazingly enough was a simple note apparently written by the homes previous owner. The not simply read as follows:

Beware The Curse Of The Black Diamond!

**The End**


End file.
